Friday, April 2, 2010

China has sent 1.4m tonnes of emergency grain supplies to drought-stricken southern provinces that are struggling to cope with the worst drought in decades, the local media reported today.

Authorities say well digging and other relief efforts may also need to be widened as the normally lush and humid region undergoes a dry spell that threatens wildlife, crop production and hydropower generation.

The drought has left 18 million people and 11m livestock in Yunnan, Guangxi, Sichuan and Chongqing without adequate water, according to the ministry of civil affairs.

As Yunnan is home to several of Asia's biggest rivers, including the Yangtze, Mekong and Salween, the downstream impact of a prolonged drought is of concern to almost a billion people.

The economic damage is already estimated at 24bn yuan (about £2.4bn) and with more than 7m hectares of farmland affected, including China's biggest horticulture base, the amount could rapidly grow unless there is rain.

Thousands of water trucks have been sent to the affected area, but in the Himalayan foothills, residents of at least one remote village are having to walk more than 20 kilometres each day to get water.

The authorities have blamed changing weather patterns that have curtailed the rainy season. According to Chen Zhenlin, the spokesman for China's meteorological administration, the average daily temperature in Yunnan over the past six months has been two degrees higher than normal, while the province has had only half the rainfall of an ordinary year. Both are at levels not experienced since the 1950s.

Environmental activists said the government had worsened the problem by encouraging the widespread clearing of forest for rubber and eucalyptus plantations, which are far less capable of conserving water than the original trees. "This has caused significant water and soil erosion and intensified the drought in these regions," said Yu Xiaogang, director of Green Watershed, a local NGO. "We need to review this issue and come up with solutions, otherwise we would face more serious drought problems in the future."

Villagers in Nongtai, a remote corner of Guangxi region, are having to walk six hours a day through the mountains to fetch water for their families, according to the Global Times. Most of them are over 60 years old because all the young and middle-aged adults in the community have left to do migrant work in cities.

With the drought spreading, the government has spent 2.6bn yuan on emergency measures. According to People's Daily, authorities have dispatched tens of thousands of water trucks and strengthened irrigation systems over an area of a million hectares.

The Pearl river delta – the nation's industrial hub – is also being affected. The lake at the source of the Pearl is down to less than a quarter of its normal volume. Hydroelectric dams, which normally generate almost a third of the province's electricity, are underpowered because of low reservoir levels, trimming 10% from supply capacity.

Jackie Chan stars join drought Benefit Dinner back to singing the theme song from the United States http://www.sina.com.cn 2010年04月02日15:53 Spring City Evening News

PRC "love How deep, how much heart." Yesterday afternoon, reporters from the "drought relief, we are taking action," Beijing organizing committee was informed that a large public show: Following yesterday's Andy officially joined "drought relief, we in Action" a large Benefit Dinner, the international superstar Jackie Chan has been identified to join the evening will be held in Beijing in 3's "drought relief, we in Action" a large public party, and evening concerts created specifically for the theme song "forget their roots."

It is understood that this party received the invitation, Jackie Chan is the United States, for the party, Jackie immediately interrupted trip, coordinated schedule back home, will be 3 in Beijing for the love and dedication to battle the drought. Yesterday, Andy Lau joined the party with a single piece of news is different from the one-time exposure of the organizing committee of the dozens of celebrities from all walks of life, gentlemen, very strong team, can be described as bright stars. These include: Feng Xiaogang , Zhang Guoli , Pu Cunxin , Cao Fang , Sun Feifei , Cai Guoqing , Yie Bei , Wang Xiaokun, Qiaoren Liang, Feng Wang , Han Li, Stanley Tong , Ke Lan , Tong Lei , high Scud , Yu Chyi , Bibi , Lee Seung-Hyun, Zhou Xiaoou, Fei Xu , Consumer Behavior , auspicious treasures, the legendary phoenix, Huang Gexuan, Tu Honggang, Pang Long , Zhang Mi, Yang Kun , black (Luoyong Juan), Tom Chan, Shangri-La and combination. According to organizers, said the list is not the ultimate version of the official opening party in the drought before the public, will be more stars from all walks of life join together their love.

April 2, Ping for a long time by the lyrics, Yan Yi Dan, Liu Jia composer, Jackie Chan singing Song of the Southwest drought relief, "drink from the source" in Beijing recording is completed. Songs will be on April 3 "drought relief operation, we" show's theme song for the first time a large public audience.

Jackie Chan singing "drink from the source" as the theme song drought Benefit Dinner At 7:16 p.m. on the April 2, 2010 Source: China News Net Comment 【Font: Big ↑ ↓ Small 】

BEIJING Beijing on April 2 (Xinhua be Ni) as a "drought relief we in Action" a large public show theme song, "drink from the source" on the 2nd record in Beijing, completed the song sung by the Jackie Chan Song of the South West drought relief 3 night for the first time in the audience.

Jackie Chan on April 2 for recording, on April 3 would sing this song at the party, on the creative team and Jackie Chan himself is no small challenge. Jackie Chan hopes the song will inspire the hearts of everyone in the small acts of love melt, the "people in disaster areas, every drop of water are valuable, and we save each drop of water that gathered together contribution is very significant. "

Over the years, Chan has been engaged in public welfare and work, life has been practicing with their public commitments. The re-awakening of the people of Southwest drought awareness of water conservation, and water conservation is already on the Jackie Chan is a habit. According to Jackie Chan to the staff side, each end of the event, Jackie Chan will remind the audience will not bring drinking water to drink, even if the drink can also be used to finish pouring the tree; Chan finish their drink every time mineral water, also will remind the assistant to help him bring.

Wenchuan earthquake, Wang Ping for a long time to hit people wrote "through life and death", that song stayed with disaster stricken people and always pay attention to people across the country through so many tough day and night. However, in writing, "drink from the source" when Wang Ping for a long time said: "I do not want to" drink from the source "written" through life and death, "the shrill, she should be warm, relaxed."

"Drink from the source" by Wang Ping for a long time lyricist, Yan Yi Dan, Liu Jia composer, has been locked for the April 3 "drought relief we in Action" a large public party's theme song.

Benefit Dinner will Yunnan TV, Guangxi TV, Guizhou TV, Beijing TV, Dragon TV, Anhui TV, Guangdong TV, Tianjin TV, Shandong Satellite TV, Phoenix TV, Zhejiang TV, Jiangsu TV, Fenghuang Wang, Beijing People's Radio, BAMC more than a dozen broadcast and other media reported. According to general director show description: "The decision to" forget their roots "as the theme song of this show, not only because of the lyrics warm atmosphere, but because the song is not important to call love, but the emphasis promote love, this and the party 'We in action' is the theme coincides. "(end)

Morning News (Xinhua Lin) from Ping for a long time lyricist, Yan Yi Dan, Liu Jia composer, Jackie Chan singing the Southwest drought relief song "drink from the source," a record yesterday in Beijing in the recording studio. Jackie Chan has just been busy with the plane on the straight record studio, talking about his own experience savings, even on the toilet can be saved. "I read a newspaper in the United States, to know what the drought, the fastest drive on the back. Every time I thought of this, why not Superman? The United States is now busy floods, drought in China, if One day scientists connected to a channel, the water of the United States to China on it. although I know this is wishful thinking, but I hope for the future. I regret I did not make the film a scientist. "followed by Jackie Chan talk about their experiences savings, "I attended a meeting in the U.S. before, when the stunt team finish at the provisional members of the collective will to drink mineral water, poured the rest of the tree, Will Smith to see us do that, immediately after the decision is so to do. "Jackie Chan's action saving lives everywhere, even in unexpected flush part," I naturally after using the toilet will ask the people around should not have, and then washed with everyone. I have tried along with 11 people washed after using the toilet. Imagine that China's 1.3 billion people are saving, we will have what kind of environment. "When asked whether he would participate in relief activities to the region, Jackie Chan's answer was frank "If I went to rain soon, I must go. but in fact we should do is to every detail from the life saving, environmental protection, the provincial cup of water, off a light." "Drink from the source," the words of long-Ping described the origins of writing the song, "March 27 at noon in the TV news I saw a child in Yunnan Province, secretly school, hid the water, said to bring go back to the parents to drink. This scene so I was moved, the children's filial piety to parents heart is a drink from the source of the state, if we do not do something for, many years later we still have water to drink? I do not want to " drink from the source "written" through life and death "kind of feeling sad and shrill, and she should be warm relaxed." Ping explains this long to find a "80 after" Yi Yan music of composer Dan responsibility as the reason, "I used to have Shu-nan is to find the old man to cooperate this time to reflect the concept of an inheritance, they found a couple of serious or Dan Art. At that time she wrote two versions, a civilian version of an artistic intensity, then we decided to use the civilian version of the collective because it is full of things. "